The leader of a cult based near Oroville has been sentenced to more than two centuries in prison for sex crimes committed against his followers. The case against 58-year-old Sansue Bee Vang began in 2024 when an 11-year-old girl and her mother accused Vang of sexual assault. Soon after that, more victims came forward. The six victims willing to testify included adult women as well as young girls. Vang founded his organization in Wisconsin before moving to Fresno and finally settling in Oroville, where he and his Hmong followers built a temple at the base of Table Mountain. Vang was revered as a prophet and dictated the rules adhered to by his devotees, which included several families. A Butte County jury found Vang guilty in February and Tuesday he was sentenced to 225 years to life in state prison.
-Steve Gibson